Nutella may have a carcinogenic contaminant: EFSA

Nutella may have a carcinogenic contaminant: EFSA


Palm oil, one of the ingredients with which Nutella is made, can be a carcinogen, according to the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA).

According to the study published by ‘The Daily Mail’, the report states that palm oil is more carcinogenic than any other when subjected to temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius; In addition, its constant consumption represented a risk for children.

The news generated alarm among consumers, who were carried away by alarmist headlines such as: ‘An ingredient of Nutella could be carcinogenic’ or as the owner ‘Nutella is withdrawn from supermarkets due to cancer risk.

Does Nutella cause cancer?

Palm oil producers, which is under pressure in Europe, found an ally in the food sector: The Italian company Ferrero, the manufacturer of Nutella, detailed the Reuters agency.

The confectionery company decided to take part in the debate and launched an advertising campaign, with ads included, to convince the public of the security of Nutella, its flagship product, which represents about one fifth of its sales. Among other aspects, Ferrero guarantees that an industrial process that minimizes the appearance of contaminants is used for the production of its palm oil.

Ferrero explained that Nutella hazelnut and chocolate cream "includes palm oil to achieve its smooth texture and prolong its shelf life." He said that if the ingredient was replaced by sunflower oil, they would change the product.

Making Nutella without palm oil would produce a substitute of inferior quality, it would be a setback, "company purchasing manager Vincenzo Tapella told Reuters.

THE PALMA OIL IS HIGHLIGHTED

Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, among other aspects because it is cheaper - with an approximate cost of 800 dollars a ton - than two possible substitutes: sunflower (845) and rapeseed (920). Ferrero uses about 185,000 tons of palm oil annually, so replacing it with substitutes would cost an extra $ 8 to 22 million. The company declined to comment on these calculations.

The detailed investigation on the GE was commissioned by the European Commission in 2014, after it was identified as potentially damaging by an EFSA study from the previous year.

EFSA does not have the power to regulate, although the matter is being reviewed by the European Commission. The spokesman for Health and Food Safety, Enrico Brivio, said the guidelines will be published later this year. The measures could include regulations to limit the level of GE in food products, but the use of palm oil will not be prohibited, he added.


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